Adam Schiff, United States Representative, speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

LONG BEACH — The first public steps as a presidential candidate didn’t go smoothly for Deval Patrick, the former governor of Massachusetts and the latest figure to join an already crowded field hoping to become the Democratic Party’s nominee for president in 2020.

As he walked on stage Saturday, Nov. 16, at the California Democratic Party’s 2019 Endorsing Convention in Long Beach, Patrick was greeted with tepid applause and a few thumbs down.

That mixed greeting was a sharp contrast to the cheers and long standing ovation offered up by a few thousand people 20 minutes earlier for Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, who is heading up the impeachment hearings of President Donald Trump.

Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach speaking on the main stage during the general session of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Candidate Deval Patrick, speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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The crowd gathered early Saturday morning to attend the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Rusty Hicks, Chair of the California Democratic Party speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives addresses the crowd via video during the general session of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Adam Schiff, United States Representative, speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Adam Schiff, United States Representative, speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach speaking on the main stage during the general session of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

The crowd gathered early Saturday morning to attend the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach speaking on the main stage during the general session of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Adam Schiff, United States Representative, speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

State Senator Holly Mitchell speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

The crowd gathered early Saturday morning to attend the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Toni G. Atkins, California Senate President pro tempore speaking during the general assembly of the California Democratic Party convention in Long Beach on Saturday, November 16, 2019. (Photo by Brittany Murray,Press-Telegram/SCNG)

The contrasts illustrated the challenge facing California Democrats as they head into 2020. While they’re united in their passion for defeating Trump in 2020, they have yet to settle — even with just three months before the March 3 primary — on which candidate is best equipped to do that.

Schiff’s speech was the highlight of the convention’s general assembly Saturday morning, with the chair of the House Intelligence Committee telling delegates and volunteers that this is the most important election of their lifetimes.

“Our democracy is at risk, more so now than at any time in my life,” Schiff said. Still, after insisting that Trump is a greater threat to the country than Russia, China or any other outside force, Schiff said he believes Democratic voters will unite and achieve their electoral goal:

“We will send that charlatan in the White House back to the golden throne he came from.”

Schiff was hardly the only presidential critic in Long Beach Saturday, as the Trump digs came fast and furious.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia told the crowd that they will “defeat our national nightmare.” Rusty Hicks, chair of the state Democratic party, said Trump is “in a limbo contest with himself, seeing just how low he can actually go.” And Brian Rice, head of the California Professional Firefighters union, slammed Trump’s recommendation for preventing wildfires, saying, “Rakes are OK in your garden. They’re not very effective in your forests.”

But Marianne Williamson, one of four presidential candidates who spoke in the morning after failing to make the cut for the evening’s televised forum, gave a fiery speech about how Trump shouldn’t be voters’ focus. After urging Democrats to stop “going on and on” about Trump — and acknowledging that anger might have powered the blue wave of 2018 — she insisted the tenor in the current cycle is political exhaustion.

When she ended a speech that touched on everything from creating a US Department of Peace to starting a World War II-level global movement to stall climate change, the activists were on their feet, cheering.

For Patrick, who didn’t win over the crowd in the same way, the event wasn’t discouraging. “A lot of folks,” he said, ” are just meeting me.”

Patrick explained that he wanted to enter the race earlier, but held back after his wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer. And he insisted that there’s still room for his voice, saying he believes there are voters who are sitting on the sidelines because they haven’t yet found a candidate they can rally behind.

“I am not running to be president of the Democrats. I’m running to be president of the United States,” he said, echoing a sentiment that his friend, former President Barack Obama, delivered at a fundraiser Friday in Washington, D.C.

But Patrick quickly followed his comment by insisting his plan is to be bold.

“This is not the time for a moderate agenda,” he said. “I’m talking about being woke while leaving room for the still waking.”

Another of the less well-known candidates, Joe Sestak, a former congressman from Pennsylvania, kept a somber tone. The Navy veteran promised to once again put his life on the line for his country.

John Delaney, former House member from Maryland, focused most of his speech on his plan for universal health care. While he doesn’t support Medicare for All, Delaney insists he has a plan that offers more choices for Americans.

When prompted by a reporter after his speech, Delaney also offered a small dig at the two leading candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who both skipped the California party convention.

“I think, when the biggest state in the nation has a gathering, you oughta show up,” Delaney said.

Long Beach Mayor Garcia said it’s the first time his city has hosted the state Democratic convention, in part because it’s the first time the city has enough union hotels. He said the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center itself is union as of Friday thanks to Unite Here Local 11, headed up by Ada Briceño, chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County.

The convention may not have landed the top two presidential candidates, but it did attract a sold-out crowd of more than 5,000 people who, on Saturday, came wearing t-shirts, carrying signs and chanting for their chosen candidates and causes.

The event also had its share of surprises. Katie Hill, who recently resigned from the House amid allegations of inappropriate relationships with staffers, got a standing ovation as she made an unexpected appearance at the Women’s Caucus earlier Saturday morning. Hill apologized to her supporters in CA-25 and beyond for letting them down, and said she doesn’t yet know her next move, but vowed to keep fighting.

The convention will wrap up Sunday with some 3,000 delegates gathering to vote on endorsing candidates and adopting the party platform for the 2020 election.

Brooke Edwards Staggs covers state and federal politics through an Orange County lens, plus the politics, business and culture of cannabis in California. Journalism has led Staggs to a manhunt in Las Vegas, a zero gravity flight over Queens and a fishing village in Ghana. The Big Bear native is addicted to education. She earned her bachelors degree in English from California Baptist University, then got her master's in education as she taught high school English in the Inland Empire. After four years in the classroom, she left in 2006 to be a student again herself, earning a masters degree in journalism from New York University while interning and freelancing for a variety of publications. She sees journalism as another form of teaching, helping readers make informed decisions and better understand the world around them. Staggs spent five years as a staff writer then city editor at the Daily Press in Victorville. She joined the Orange County Register in January 2013, covering several Orange County communities before taking on the marijuana beat in February 2016 and the politics beat in April 2019. That work has earned her first-place wins in the Best of the West, California Journalism Awards and Orange County Press Club competitions. On occasion, she also teaches community college and ghostwrites nonfiction books. Staggs loves dancing and new adventures. She hates water slides and injustice. If she doesn’t get right back to you, there’s a good chance she’s sitting with her DJ husband on a plane or train or boat destined for somewhere – anywhere – they’ve never been.

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